Method of roughening rolls of sugar-cane mills



Feb. 18, 1947. A. M. SIMPSON 2,416,125

ENING ROLLS OF SUGA CAN Filed March 20 1945 Patented Feb. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IVIETHOD OF EOUGHENING ROLLS OF SUGAR-CANE MILLS 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a method for roughening rolls of sugar cane mills.

The surfaces of many sugar cane rolls become worn to a polish after being in service and their feeding qualities are thereby seriously impaired. It is, therefore, desirable to roughen the peripheries of the rolls to prevent slippage and to feed the cane evenly at the desired rate.

The present invention provides a method which may be easily and simply performed to accomplish this purpose.

The principal feature of the invention consists in a method for forming pits or indentations in the periphery of the roll by employing a conventional electrode and passing electricity from the roll to the electrode.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing in more detailed modes of procedure will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the roll of a sugar cane mill, the electrode and adjacent parts of the electrical circuit being shown diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on l ne 2--2 of Figure 1, together with a diagrammatic representation of the electrode.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

The sugar cane mill roll I chosen for purposes of illustrating the invention ha a plurality of circumferential grooves 2. The sides of the grooves incline in opposite directions and respectively intersect the adjoining sides of adjacent grooves to form circumferentially extending rid es 3.

The method I have devised for roughening the periphery of the roll so as to improve or restore its feeding qualities consists in applying an electrode 4 of any suitable design to the ridge portions 3 of the roll at circumferentially spaced points. The electrode and roll are connected in a circuit wherein electricity passes from the roll to the electrode. This results in pits or indentations being formed in the roll at the points to which the electrode is applied.

Contrary to the method where an electrode is used to burn or melt the portion of the roll to which the electrode is applied, no metal is deposited on the surface of the roll by reversing the flow of current as in the present invention.

A deep pitting of the ridges 3, as indicated at 5, is easily and quickly accomplished and, if it is desired, one or more of the ridges may be pitted at regular intervals on its circumference to form a serrated edge such as shown in Figure 2. This method of pitting the roll appear to chill or harden the surface and thereby increases its life, while when the roughening is done by means of an air gun the roll wears out faster.

As seen from Figures 1 and 2, the roll is in the electrical circuit and need not be removed from the mill to effect the roughening.

It will be appreciated that the present method is not limited to pitting or roughening the surface of the particular sugar cane mill roll illustrated in the drawing and that modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of roughening a circumferentially grooved sugar cane mill roll which consists in successively positioning an electrode in spaced relation to peripheral portions of the roll located between successive grooves therein, and in passing electricity from the roll to the electrode to thereby establish an arc producing indentations in said peripheral portions of the roll.

2. The method of roughening a circumferentially grooved sugar cane mill roll which consists in successively positioning an electrode at circumferentially spaced points in spaced relation to portions of the roll between successive grooves, and in passing electricity from the roll to the electrode to thereby establish an arc producing indentations in said portions.

3. The method of roughening a circumferentially grooved sugar cane roll which consists in successively positioning an electrode in spaced relation to circumferentially spaced points of pertions of the roll between a pair of said grooves and passing electricity from the roll to the electrode to thereby establish an arc and form said portions with serrated outer edges.

ALFRED M. SIMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 650,124 Coleman- May 22, 1900 2,079,310 Bennett May 4, 1937 2,346,975 Laboulais Apr. 18, 1944 

